YHA Blog
The Government has pledged £2.5 million to improve young people’s access to the outdoors. The welcome news builds on the success of Generation Green, a Defra-funded project delivered by the YHA-led Access Unlimited coalition, which also comprises Girlguiding,...
National Landscapes are places for relaxation and contemplation, for exercise and fun; they are places where we can harness the healing powers of the great outdoors. They are protected not only for the nation to enjoy, but for the flora and fauna that live within...
What a year! 2023 was a year of getting back to a new normal. Here are a few of the highlights from our annual report for 2022/23.Overnight stays 817,220 people stayed overnight in a YHA property, including 265,207 young people. We supported stays for 8,382 young...
On a crisp winter’s day, there’s nothing quite like a Cornish coastal walk to snap your synapses into gear: wind stippling the waves, seabirds wheeling overhead and the immensity of the Atlantic stretching out to the horizon. The Gregorian calendar might be a...
Over the past few years, The Journey has been lucky enough to run exclusive interviews with some of the most inspirational personalities in the UK. Here are some of the pearls of advice we’ve picked out. “We shouldn’t think of being outdoors as anything other than...
For almost all of human existence, mountain environments have been seen as places to avoid. They were climbed only to drove livestock for trade, or to meet with people from the next village. And even then, the end-goal for those on foot was always the passes, the...
Here in the UK, we have two different species of squirrel: grey and red. Grey squirrels are far more common, even though they were only introduced from North America about 150 years ago. Have you seen them scuttling through woodland or scampering up trees in the...
It’s 130 years since the arrival of one of the UK’s most famous landmarks. Tower Bridge was finished in 1894, after a building project that took eight years. The iconic river crossing is now a world-famous part of the London skyline — but how much do you know about...
Dogs are the most popular pets in the country. They’re loyal, playful and intelligent — and they can also do some incredible things, as these five tales (or should that be tails?) demonstrate. JinxIn 2023, a cocker spaniel called Jinx became the first conservation...
The longest walk in England leads right the way around the country’s coastline. It’s called the King Charles III England Coast Path, and when it’s finished it will stretch for 2,700 miles. If you were hiking for 10 miles a day, it would take you almost nine months...
Looking for unforgettable, affordable experiences for the months ahead? Here are 24 ideas for hostel trips in 2024 — because after all, calendars are there to be filled. Happy travels!1. YHA Ambleside for wild swimming Lake Windermere, on the hostel’s wonderfully...
Winter can be a beautiful time of year. Snow on the high ground, frozen spider webs on the hedges, semi-frozen lakes. And what better than a warm hostel, a mug of tea and games to entertain you through the long evenings? Here’s our pick of properties for a...
